


It's Obvious

by emdaro



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Fluff, Les POV, M/M, Mutual Pining, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 05:33:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12101847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emdaro/pseuds/emdaro
Summary: “Davey, since when is Jack datin’ Crutchie?” Les asked, clinging to his hand as they walked.Davey raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think they’re dating?”“I dunno, I just saw the way they was lookin’ at each other.” Les shrugged. “I’m a kid, I’m not stupid.”





	It's Obvious

Les didn’t understand a lot of things. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He understood a lot of things, he just didn’t understand teenagers. They made things so complicated all the time. They had feelings, then they didn’t, it was so confusing. He thought he understood though, when he saw the way Jack looked at Crutchie. It was clear to see that those weren’t brotherly feelings and Crutchie looked at Jack the exact same way. They had to be dating or something. He asked Davey one night, on their way home after a night of cards at the lodging house.

“Davey, since when is Jack datin’ Crutchie?” Les asked, clinging to his hand as they walked.

Davey raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think they’re dating?”

“I dunno, I just saw the way they was lookin’ at each other.” Les shrugged. “I’m a kid, I’m not stupid.”

“Were looking at each other.” Davey corrected patiently. “Les, they aren’t dating. Don’t say anything to Crutchie about this, alright?”

“Why?” Les asked impatiently. “It’s stupid. They should be datin’ if they make each other happy.”

“I know, Les.” Davey sighed. “Believe me. But Crutchie gets pretty mad if anyone bring it up. Come on, let’s get home. I’ll read you that book you like.”

“Davey, I’m almost eleven.” Les grumbled. “But you can, if you want to.”

The next day was a Saturday, which meant Les got to go sell with the newsies. Davey decided to stay back, their mother needed some help around the house. Les ran to the selling gate, getting in line beside Jack who was laughing at some joke Crutchie told. Les watched them, a grin on his face. Jack was so in love, it was obvious to anyone with a brain.

“Hey, kid. You gonna sell with me today?” Jack straightened his hat and smiled. “Sixty forty split, alright?”

Les nodded. They collected their papers and left, going to one of Jack’s favorite selling spots. Once they had sold quite a few papers and there was a lull in the crowd around him, Les decided to bring it up. Davey hadn’t said anything about not talking to Jack, after all. “Hey Jack, can I ask you somethin’?”

“Sure, what’s up?” Jack didn’t look up from counting the papers they still had.

“Why ain’t you and Crutchie datin’?”

Jack’s head snapped up, his hands going quite still. “I…what?”

Les crossed his arms over his chest. “I ain’t stupid, I see stuff.”

“We ain’t datin’ because we’s friends, Les.” Jack stood up. “Don’t go tellin’ anyone we’s datin’ either.”

“I won’t. But I don’t get why you aren’t, it’s so obvious.” Les frowned. “You should just ask him out or somethin’, that’s what I did with Sally when I liked her.”

Jack laughed. “It’s a little different, Les. Look, don’t worry about stuff like that. It ain’t for kids.”

Les bristled, he hated when people said things like that to him. “Fine.” He mumbled angrily.

It was silent for a few minutes, until Jack finally spoke. “Hey, come on, don’t be mad.”

Les just shrugged. “Why are ya even talkin’ to me? I’m just a kid.”

Jack sighed. “Les, come on, It ain’t like that. Me and Crutchie…we just ain’t datin’. Ain’t no special reason why not.”

They stopped talking as a large crowd passed them, focusing on selling their papers. As they walked back to the lodging house later that night, Les saw a figure ahead of them. He recognized the limp, the backwards hat. “Jack, it’s Crutchie!” He grabbed Jack’s hand and dragged him ahead, until they caught up with Crutchie.

Crutchie smiled at the two of them. “Hiya Les. Jack give you too much trouble today?” He winked at Les.

Jack rolled his eyes. “Hey, I’s standin’ right here.”

Crutchie laughed. “I know you are, always need the attention on you.”

Jack grinned, stepping a little closer to Crutchie. “That ain’t true. I don’t need everyone’s attention.”

“Oh, just mine then? So sweet, Jackie.” Crutchie smiled up at him.

Les coughed. The two backed away from each other and Jack’s face flushed slightly. “Come on, let’s get going.” Jack mumbled. Les noticed that Jack walked slightly closer to Crutchie the rest of the way back to the lodging house but didn’t say anything. Later that night, when he was tucked into bed at home, Les’ last thought before he drifted off to sleep was that he really, really didn’t understand teenagers.

It was several days before Les was able to go back and see the newsies. When he did, Davey joined him. He immediately noticed Jack and Crutchie sitting close to each other. Jack was laying down, his head in Crutchie’s lap as he rambled on about some backdrop he was painting for Miss Medda. Les sat down beside Race, carefully avoiding Davey. Race usually let him play cards with them as long as Davey wasn’t too close. He grinned as Race dealt the cards, then looked over at Crutchie and Jack. Jack was still talking, Crutchie staring down at him with a huge smile.

“Why don’t they just kiss already?” Les muttered.

Race looked up and followed Les’ gaze. He laughed when he saw who he was looking at. “Hey Jack!”

Jack looked up. “I told ya, I don’t wanna play tonight Race.”

Race smirked. “I know. But Les here was just wonderin’ why you and Crutchie ain’t kissed yet.”

Jack sat up quickly. “Les was wonderin’ what?”

“I said,” Race’s volume increased, every other boy in the room watching at that point. “Les was wonderin’ why you haven’t sucked it up and kissed Crutchie yet, Kelly.”

Jack shrugged but his face was bright red. “I dunno, don’t think Crutchie would like it much.”

Crutchie’s face was pale, he shifted away from Jack slightly. “I…uh…”

“I dare ya.” Race grinned. “Kiss him, I dare ya.”

Jack rolled his eyes and looked over at Crutchie. “Can’t back down from a dare, Crutch.”

Crutchie nodded faintly. “Yeah, guess not. Uh…go ahead.”

Jack leaned in and kissed Crutchie on the lips solidly. There was a great shout, Race’s cigar fell out of his mouth. Jack pulled away after a few seconds and smiled at Crutchie.

Crutchie stared back at Jack, finally giving him a small smile. Jack got to his feet. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.” He tugged Crutchie up and the two of them walked out of the room, the rest of newsies wolf whistling and jeering at them.

Les smiled to himself. Maybe teenagers made no sense, but at least Crutchie and Jack were finally starting to.


End file.
